A Division of

UnderConsideration

Although we’ve only been publishing since early August, there have definitely been numerous menus that stand out and I thought it would be fun to start the tradition of naming what I think are the best menus on Art of the Menu of each year.

The good thing about having only four months worth of content is that it made my job easier, because there is a lot of good stuff to choose from. Listed here are my twelve favorite menus that we have featured.

Design

Thoughts

Tex-Mex in Austin, TX

No. 5

Design

Thoughts

This is another example where the menus themselves aren’t superb, but their delivery is bad-ass, and it doesn’t get more bad-ass than license plates with the establishment’s logo stenciled in spray paint.

Mexican in Folly Beach, SC

No. 4

Design

Thoughts

Of all the menus we’ve posted this is one where the typesetting and layout stand apart from others. There is great, nuance, subtlety, and clarity to the menu that contrasts the messiness that is about to come once you get your hands on some BBQ.

BBQ in Gainesville, FL

No. 3

Design

Thoughts

Comfort Food in Toronto, Canada

No. 2

Design

In-house

Thoughts

The only thing keeping the frenetic, lo-fi Shopsins’ menu from being the best menu of the year is that it also happens to be, well, the worst menu out there. But this duality is what makes it so awesome. Read the comments (from when we had them open) to feel the love and hatred the menu generates.

Diner in New York, NY

No. 1

Design

Thoughts

With three selections in this top twelve being Mexican restaurants it seems that that’s the cuisine where cool things can happen. But no one pulls off the Mexican inspiration better than Mucca, with this very authentic rendition of Mexican signpainting and hand-lettering. Plus, the food is to die for and it’s only 15 minutes from our house.